At about 3.45pm Redbridge Police reported via its Twitter account a spectator had been “clipped” by passing cyclists which led to a “few riders” going down in Woodford New Road near the Napier Arms pub.

The police added all cyclists involved remounted and no serious injuries were reported either.

The unnamed spectator was reported to have been taking a picture when he was hit.

The incident follows several incidents over the opening weekend of Le Tour which have said to endangered the safety of the riders where British crowds have been taking selfies.

American cyclist Tejay van Garderen called the craze “a dangerous mix of vanity and stupidity”.

There is no suggestion at this stage that the spectator hit this afternoon was taking a selfie.